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DIGITISING DIGNITY: How KasiConnect reimagines local entrepreneurship
Technology

DIGITISING DIGNITY: How KasiConnect reimagines local entrepreneurship

By Sitha Maliwa: A new digital platform is positioning itself at the centre of South Africa’s growing push toward economic inclusion, with an ambitious goal of transforming how township entrepreneurs participate in the formal economy. KasiConnect, founded by entrepreneur and women’s empowerment advocate Keitsile Jacobs Masilo, describes itself as a digital ecosystem designed to connect township-based professionals with customers, payment systems, and online visibility tools that have traditionally been out of reach for informal businesses. At the core of the initiative is a challenge to the current structure of the economy, which the platform says leaves vast amounts of talent operating outside the digital systems that define modern comm...
She drives the future of inclusive digital economies through AI
Technology

She drives the future of inclusive digital economies through AI

By Katlego Rammusa: Boitumelo Makgoba (Image: supplied) Boitumelo Makgoba is a Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Fetsi Impact Hub, where she is driving the future of inclusive digital economies through AI, innovation, and AI policy frameworks. Her work focuses on equipping businesses, governments, and communities with the tools, skills, and strategic frameworks needed to thrive in an AI-powered world. A passionate advocate for economic inclusion, Boitumelo is leading the development of an AI-powered marketplace designed to help businesses unlock new revenue streams by connecting them to the disability market, one of the most overlooked yet high-potential segments globally, as CEO of Fetsi Data Technologies. With over 1.3 billion peopl...
TUT Academic Blazes the Trail in Cutting-Edge Technological Research and Bringing Young Generation Into the Tech-World
Technology

TUT Academic Blazes the Trail in Cutting-Edge Technological Research and Bringing Young Generation Into the Tech-World

By Katlego Rammusa: Prof Topside Mathonsi South Africa's future lies in technological advancements that are bound to boost its economic position, enabling it to compete internationally and maintain its dignity as a gateway into Africa - a task that depends on individuals with a tech-savvy attitude and determination to see a bright future for the country and its young population. Renowned for his pioneering work in cybersecurity and wireless communication systems, Prof Topside Ehleketani Mathonsi has become a leading voice in South Africa’s digital transformation. From rural Limpopo to the forefront of academic research, his journey reflects resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to empowering students while strengthening the country’s digital resilience....
RAT Attacks Are on the Rise: What South Africans Need to Know About the New Face of Banking Fraud
Technology

RAT Attacks Are on the Rise: What South Africans Need to Know About the New Face of Banking Fraud

By News SA Correspondent: Image demonstrating the current RAT attacks taking place One of the fastest-growing and most dangerous scams targeting South African consumers involves something many people have never heard of: RAT attacks. A new generation of banking fraud is emerging in South Africa, giving criminals real-time control over victims’ devices. This article unpacks RAT attacks, a growing form of banking fraud that lets fraudsters access and manipulate customers’ devices remotely. According to Bonolo Sebolai, Head of Fraud at TymeBank, these scams rely on tricking customers into giving criminals direct access to their devices. “RAT scams are particularly dangerous and extremely sophisticated because they are designed to use the device at the same time as the...
China’s Digital Development: Technology is transforming China’s economy, governance and quality of life
Technology

China’s Digital Development: Technology is transforming China’s economy, governance and quality of life

By Arassy ep Razafindratovolahy Sarah: Robot Tianyi, white, stands with silver black Tiangong 1.2 MAX robots at the five-day World Robot Conference 2024 in Beijing on August 22, 2024. (Image: Global Times/VCG) What fascinates me most about China’s digital development is how deeply it has transformed the economy, not only in cities, but across farms, factories, and daily life. Digitalisation here is not a privilege of the elite but a nationwide strategy applied to the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors with purpose and precision.   In agriculture, digital tools are strengthening China’s food security. Drones monitor crops, sensors measure soil conditions, and farmers use smartphones for weather forecasts, pest control, and real-time market prices. A...
‘Without BEE, we wouldn’t exist’ – Telecoms leader warns against dismantling empowerment laws
Technology

‘Without BEE, we wouldn’t exist’ – Telecoms leader warns against dismantling empowerment laws

By NewsSA: As debate intensifies over the Democratic Alliance’s proposal to amend South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework, telecoms industry players are warning that the move will undo decades of progress and push black entrepreneurs out of critical industries. “Without BEE, we would never have entered the telecoms industry,” says Sean Shipalana, CEO of Moropa Site Solutions. “It’s one of the most capital-intensive and closed sectors in South Africa. BEE gave us the opportunity to compete, build infrastructure, and create real jobs in areas that were previously forgotten.” Shipalana says BEE must not be confused with corruption. “When contracts are inflated or tenders are abused, it’s corruption. Punishing black businesses for what corr...
THE OPEN CHAT PODCAST CONTROVERSY: Why South Africa urgently needs digital media regulation within a human rights framework 
Technology

THE OPEN CHAT PODCAST CONTROVERSY: Why South Africa urgently needs digital media regulation within a human rights framework 

By Zandisile Luphahla: The author argues that recent incidents like the Open Chat Podcast controversy demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive digital media regulation within a human rights framework in South Africa. The recent uproar over derogatory remarks about coloured people on the Open Chat podcast has once again exposed the glaring gaps in South Africa's digital media regulation. This incident, like many before it, demonstrates why we can no longer afford to treat the digital realm as an unregulated wild west where harmful content spreads unchecked. With opposition parties and government now joining the debate over these apparent racial slurs, the time for action has never been more urgent. The digital transformation and its...
THE TRUMP EFFECT: Apple shifts operations from China to India amidst ongoing tariffs and trade war
Technology

THE TRUMP EFFECT: Apple shifts operations from China to India amidst ongoing tariffs and trade war

By Fawzi Moodley: The heat from US President Donald Trump’s trade war against China may have turned down a notch after the two countries reached a temporary truce in mid-May, but Trump’s tariff policy has created a climate of uncertainty among American companies with operations in China. Tech companies reliant on Chinese components, technology, and skills are particularly hard hit, and under pressure to move their operations away from China, preferably to the US. Even the iconic Apple iPhone brand has not escaped unscathed. Caught in the crossfire of the US-China trade war and in a bid to avoid falling foul of the resulting economic fallout of the tensions between Washington and Beijing,  Apple is gradually moving its iPhone production from China to India. Trump h...
INNOVATION: Finally, time is ticking for corruption and audit failures: Audrey has landed
Business, Technology

INNOVATION: Finally, time is ticking for corruption and audit failures: Audrey has landed

By Becker Semela: Audrey AI (Image: Spotify) A proudly South African innovation is targeting corruption, financial mismanagement, and audit failures with the launch of a new real-time Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform called Audrey. Developed locally and led by a team of homegrown experts, Audrey monitors transactions and data continuously, flagging potential irregularities and compliance breaches within minutes. The Imagination Advisory and Technology Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Audrey, Claude Chetty, said this smart technology is being hailed as a "game-changer" for governance and financial oversight, especially in a country struggling with public sector accountability. He said the governance frameworks have evolved in complexity, but the audit tool...
CYBERSECURITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: How the Cell C & SABS attacks could have been prevented
Technology

CYBERSECURITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: How the Cell C & SABS attacks could have been prevented

By TJ: Companies, in fact, all organisations that have online operations where they process information or data are at risk of cyberattacks, and the problem, instead of decreasing, is getting worse with time. Recently, top companies in South Africa experienced cyberattacks that paralysed their systems after a cyber-attacker targeted their systems and stole sensitive data. With between 150 and 300 cyberattacks reported each month, as recorded by the Information Regulator, South Africa is in for a tough period ahead in dealing with the problem, as many incidents go unnoticed.  However, such online attacks could be prevented if the organisations employ proper strategies to deal with them head-on. Cybercrime has become the single biggest threat to busin...